


TILL I REACH YOU

by MissPeregrine



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gift Fic, This is also my first fic, rcij
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-22
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-07-26 02:13:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 10,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7556167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissPeregrine/pseuds/MissPeregrine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This story explores the story line of Belle during the separation of her and Rumple in the first season.<br/>It is my gift for the wonderful Belle Gold, and it was based on her prompt "till I reach you".<br/>The story is inspired by the song "Rivers and Roads" from the Head and the Heart. (which contains the lyric "till I reach you").</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my secret Santa gift for the wonderful and amazing Belle Gold.   
> Her prompt was “Till I reach you.’  
> I have written a story focusing on Belle during the separation of Belle and Rumple following the events in the Dark Castle. The storyline is quite similar to the original show, although I have left out the Belle-Robin Hood storyline. I found it rather interesting to explore Belle’s side of the story and her thoughts and reflections during the separation. I hope I have portrayed her as accurately as possible.   
> I hope you enjoy your story, and Merry Christmas in July!

It was still early morning. Belle was alone. She didn’t really have a plan. Usually she wouldn’t mind walking around without any destination, her impulsiveness brought her to the most amazing places and the most amazing persons, but right now, she didn’t feel like being anywhere or with anyone. She was very angry with herself. It was the only thing she could think about right now, her anger. A very irrational anger, she was well aware of that, but the anger wouldn’t disappear, only sometimes it faded into something worse, a kind of sadness she’d never really experienced before. She used to like being alone, but now she felt like she was absorbed in the solitude that surrounded her. She had been wandering around for a couple of days now and her feet hurt. She knew the civilization was far away. Her only companion was the wind, a very cold wind, which made her shiver. It was the worst companion she had had in weeks. Perhaps even worse than her last… She sighed. How she wished she could return to the castle, at least it was warm there. And she wouldn’t have to be alone, but there was no way that she could return, the owner made that very clear to her. The owner of the castle was the real reason for poor Belle’s anger. She was infuriated with herself. She truly believed that she was able to help him, that he had accepted her presence, that he perhaps… but he very clearly hadn’t and she very clearly couldn’t. So she had no business there anymore and she had no intention to ever return, but she felt like a failure, and she hated that feeling. She was also very angry with him, disappointed perhaps, but she couldn’t bear to think about him, so she directed her anger to herself.

So where should she go now? She wanted to stay in the woods, actually, although they couldn’t give her the reassuring feeling they used to do, before she went to the castle.  
She often went to the forest, wandered about, searching for a suitable place to read her books without being bothered by others. She quite liked some company, but she also liked the peace of being on her own whilst reading a good book (although sometimes she was actually listening to the birds and quietly watching deer who hadn’t noticed her yet instead of reading), but even the forest couldn’t cheer her up. She felt really miserable and then again angry with herself, because she pitied herself so much and she didn’t like to be pitied, especially not by herself. The road was long and seemed never-ending (it probably was, Belle thought) and she was feeling worse and worse. Now she was tired, thirsty and hungry. Her anger had turned into sadness, or rather grief. She used to be able to find the bright side when something terrible had happened to her, she always knew her way out, but now she was struggling to find even a small sign of hope and she felt broken beyond repair. It was now near twilight, when forests get this peculiar atmosphere, making you want to return as soon as you can, but you’re already miles deep in the middle of nowhere. Belle was growing rather desperate, because she couldn’t spend the night in her situation in the middle of the woods, not with these temperatures and not in this state of hunger and thirst. Little did she know that she was actually very near to (a form of) civilization She walked on, feeling a bit dizzy of exhaustion when she noticed something odd. There was a light at the end of the road, no, she could have imagined it, but it looked so real… it was real, wasn’t it? She went on, a little bit faster –still very slow, but it felt to Belle as if she was running. 

It was until she reached the edge of the forest, when she discovered the source of the light: it was a house, or rather a cottage, a very sweet cottage, with light flickering behind one of the windows. Belle hoped dearly that whoever lived in that cottage would be kind enough to let her in. She knocked on the wooden door and waited. And waited. She heard someone behind the thick wood and contemplated if she should or shouldn’t knock again, but just when she decided to knock again, was the door opened. There was an old woman in the opening of the door. She looked stern, but also a bit defiant. ‘Yes? What do you want?’ But then she saw Belle and her manner changed completely. ‘O, you poor thing’ she cried out, ‘What have you been doing all by yourself in these dreadful woods? Come in quickly! Let me give you a nice drink to warm you up.’ She pushed Belle inside and brought her to the nearest bench. Belle looked around. ‘This room must be the living room.’ she thought. The room was a bit small, but very well furnished, with a large table with a bench on each side (where she was seated) a cupboard, a rocking chair and a rather comfortable-looking armchair. The light came from the numerous candles which were placed on strategic places in the room, on the table, two on each side of the cupboard, and one for each window (there were four windows in the room). There was also a fireplace, very near to the table, which warmed Belle up a bit and for that moment she felt very lucky.  
The old lady had walked to the kitchen and now returned with a peculiar looking bottle, and a very small glass. ‘Homemade. If this won’t warm you up, I wouldn’t know what will.’ She poured some liquor in the glass and gave it Belle, but Belle was a bit hesitant to drink. The brown beverage looked a bit suspicious and she wasn’t sure if she would be able to stand up straight after drinking it. It smelled very strong too.’ The old woman placed herself on the opposite bench. ‘Drink it, it will help.’ Belle decided that alcohol was probably the only thing that could help her feel a bit better, so she lifted the glass and drank the whole thing at once. The liquid burned on her throat and suddenly she felt as if someone had laid a warm and soft blanket on her.  
The old lady grinned. 

‘That’s better, isn’t it?’  
Belle nodded.  
‘Now tell me, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? You don’t seem dangerous, but I can’t let strangers in my house.’  
‘I understand.’  
Not that she actually wanted to tell her story and relive everything that had happened to her, not when she was finally feeling a little bit warmer inside, and a bit happier, but she couldn’t deny the woman some sort of explanation. So she said:  
‘Well, I’ve been wandering about for two, three days now? I’m not sure. I lived somewhere, you know, I lived with someone for quite a while. I was a maid. His maid, to be exact. It’s a very long story and I would hate to bore you with it. Fact is, I was very happy there, but as it appears to me now, the owner wasn’t very happy with me. I couldn’t stay there, so now I’m here.’  
She concluded her story with a smile, but it was clear that she wasn’t happy.  
The old lady was silent for a while.  
‘You haven’t told me your name, child.’  
‘O, I’m sorry, my name is Belle.’  
‘I’m Granny.’ the old lady said briskly.  
‘Your story doesn’t sound really convincing, but you look as if you can fall asleep any moment, and in this state you can’t harm anyone, so you can stay here for the night and tomorrow I’ll decide whether you can stay longer or not, unless you don’t want to of course.’  
Belle was beyond gratitude and stammered all forms of thank yous to show it to Granny, but the woman ignored all of them and told Belle to get up, so she could show her the room she’d be staying in for the night.


	2. II.

When Belle woke up the next morning she felt much disoriented. She wasn’t in the castle, but where on earth had she slept then? She rose from her bed and looked around. The room was a bit messy and looked as if it belonged to someone. There was one window, which was half opened and allowed to sun to lighten up the room. The window was quite large. The room was furnished with a bed, where Belle was sitting on, a wardrobe, which was also half opened and showed Belle a few dresses, which were stored there. They dangled there, moving slightly with the wind, which had entered the room through the half-open window. Furthermore, there was a drawer, also slightly opened, but Belle was unable to see what was inside, from her position. It sure looked as if someone lived her when Belle stood up and walked around she was certain that whoever lived in this room had left it in a rush, leaving most of her stuff behind. Then someone knocked on the door and she suppressed a scream.   
‘I sense you are awake, Belle. It’s time for breakfast.’  
Belle recognized the voice and suddenly remembered what had happened the last few days. It was quite a lot to take in really and she sat down on the bed again, trying to make some sense out of all it. She had tried to cure him and he had kicked her out. Why didn’t he want to be cured? It didn’t make sense! It just didn’t! She sighed deeply when she remember herself pining on all her own stupid thoughts the last few days in the woods. She had been so stupid. Walking around pitying yourself hasn’t helped anyone ever.   
‘Are you coming, or do you rather stay in your room?’  
‘O no, I am coming, just a second.’  
She rose and stretched. At least she knew what to do next, and it was eating breakfast.

‘So, you have had quite the life so far, haven’t you?’  
Granny was sitting in the rocket chair and looking sternly at Belle, who was eating the eggs that the woman had prepared for her. She was dying to ask about the mysterious person who used to live in her room, but she felt it was rude to ask about her. So Belle nodded.   
‘And, have you decided yet?’  
‘Excuse me?’  
‘Are you going to stay here for a while, or are you going on?’  
‘I would hate to bother you any longer, Granny.’ Belle answered.   
‘You are not bothering me, not yet.’  
Belle smiled shyly.   
‘Well, I guess I have to move on, but I’m not really familiar with this area, I’m afraid, so I don’t know where to go next.’  
‘Honey, there’s a tavern a few miles from here, with excellent beers –you can trust me on that, I’m a regular visitor, and I believe it’s the best place for you to go to next.’  
‘How come?’  
‘There’s always something happening there and you don’t seem to have a destination in mind, have you.’  
‘No, I haven’t.’  
‘Well, if you truly want to leave, it’s better go thither. Finish your eggs, and I’ll walk with you for a while, I’m going in the same direction.’

Belle was very grateful for Granny’s companionship. They didn’t talk at all, but it was so much better to walk together than to walk alone. The road was quite boring, Belle did enjoy walking in the woods more than walking in the meadows, but she didn’t feel any right to complain. Her thoughts wandered on and after a while she caught herself thinking about the Man from the Dark Castle and feeling awfully sad again. Granny noticed a change in her temper too, because she said:   
‘It appears to me that you are going to drink your sorrows as soon as we get there.’  
Belle blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed by it all.   
‘It’s nothing to be ashamed of, child. Don’t we all feel like drinking, sometimes?’  
Belle wanted to defend herself, saying she wasn’t a drinker, but Granny smiled at her (something she hadn’t done the whole way long).   
‘There’s no use in dwelling on your emotions. You already know what you really want, no need to make the situation so difficult for yourself. You know what you actually want to do, don’t you?’  
Belle looked at Granny. She probably did, but she didn’t want to admit it right away. It was impossible, if she wanted it or not.   
‘You are making it all far too difficult for yourself, I can see it in your eyes.’  
They walked on in silence.

‘I’m going to leave you here, just follow the signs and you’ll come across your tavern sooner or later. Maybe if you mention my name, you get one for free.’   
Granny looked at Belle.   
‘I did enjoy your company. I’m not really a person for being alone it seems. Please stay sensible, child and good luck.’   
She granted Belle just one stern look, then turned around and disappeared in the woods. Belle couldn’t think about herself for a moment. So she was right. Granny hadn’t been alone all this time. But it was too late to ask her about it. It was time to go to the tavern.


	3. III.

She would be lying if she said that she hadn’t thought about the things that Granny had set to her, during their brief acquaintance. She did want to return to him. She wanted to explain herself and then she wanted to hear what he had to say about it all. She wanted to go back to the dark castle. But she wasn’t going to. He had made clear that he didn’t want to see her ever again. He made clear that she shouldn’t ever make any intention to return to him and he just wanted to forget about her. He probably detested her, hated her by now. There was no use in returning. He wouldn’t listen to what she had to say and he probably would refuse to speak or explain himself to her.   
‘Another one, please.’   
She tossed another coin on the bar.   
How dreadful it all was. Why couldn’t things be simpler? You are making it all far too difficult for yourself. She could hear her say it over and over again. But it wasn’t simple! She lifted her new beer and drank it immediately. All the alcohol was making her fuzzy and a bit queasy.   
‘Don’t you have anywhere to go, miss?’   
It was the lad behind the bar asking.   
‘No. I’m just fine here.’  
‘Then let me offer you another beer.’  
‘That’s very generous of you.’  
Belle smiled. She looked at the person who had addressed her. He looked so very boyish, he seemed just a kid.   
‘You work here?’  
‘I do, it’s my parents’ place.’  
‘Are you not a bit young to work here? Or I can be mistaken. Never mind me, thank you for the beer.’  
She took the drink out of his hands and smiled. He smiled too, but he seemed a bit uncertain, not sure if he had done well by giving her yet another drink.   
‘This must be my fifth.’ She thought to herself. ‘I should do something next.’ But she hadn’t the faintest idea what that should be. So she stayed. 

Days passed and Belle stayed in the tavern. She spend most of her time re-evaluating her life and the decisions she has made. But it was not all she did, she knew how to amuse herself a little better. Sometimes she had long talks with the young lad behind the bar, who dreamed of travelling, just as she did and still does. He hadn’t seen anything of the world, except for the tavern and a small part of the surrounding forest. He was still very naïve, Belle thought, but he could speak with such high hopes and excitement that he always succeeded in cheering her up a little bit. Sometimes she watched all the people in the tavern and observed their behaviour: she had heard all the gossip and bragging of drunkards, waving with their beers. And sometimes she heard people telling their stories, which was as amusing as, if it wasn’t more than reading her precious books. 

It was yesterday, that she overheard a kind dwarf in the tavern. Belle wasn’t sure if it was the way he spoke, or what he said, or the gestures he made while saying it, but something about him made her jump to her feet and go to him. He was in love! She was sure of it. She seated herself next to him and asked him about the lady he loved so much, eager to learn more about her. He talked in a way she seldom heard people talk. He was in love with a fairy! It had been the most amazing conversation, they had talked about love and about the sweet fairy (her name was Nova, and Belle believed it to be one of the most splendid names for a love story). But the poor dwarf, Dreamy he was called, didn’t dare to go to his beloved fairy. Belle remembered with reasonable pride how she convinced him to go after his loved one. And while she was very happy for him and wished him all the luck in the world, she couldn’t help but think about her own loved one, who probably was alone right now, sitting in his Dark Castle. Why she didn’t go after him, she didn’t know and she doubted more and more. It was Granny who she heard again. O, it probably was very simple, but she just couldn’t go back to him. There were other things more important now. She decided not to think about the owner of the castle for one more second and waited for more news of Dreamy’s romance. 

And he did return! Belle was reading a book (she had got some from the young lad behind the bar), when she was disturbed by the sound of a group of noisy men entering the bar. They all seemed very excited and it made Belle very curious. She looked up from her book and saw how everyone gathered around one man, who seemed very happy with all the attention he got, who cried:   
‘There’s a fearsome beast ravaging a faraway kingdom! Its eyes burn with fire. They call it the yaoguai.’  
He paused a moment to enjoy the gasps of terror, but then he raised his voice again and continued:   
‘No man has been able to kill it, but we will. There’s room on our wagon. Now, who’s going to join us?’  
Belle sighed and returned to her book. It was far more captivating than the arrogance of the people near her. She was so occupied, that she didn’t notice a small creature approaching her. 

‘Looking for an adventure?’  
It was the dwarf! Play it cool, Belle. It mustn’t seem like you don’t have any other things to do than meddling in other people’s love lives.   
‘Dreamy, right?’  
‘Yes, I came to thank you.’  
Belle closed her book and grew more excited.   
‘That advice you gave me last night? It worked! Nova and I are running away together.’  
Belle was overwhelmed with happiness.   
‘That’s… that’s wonderful!’ she stammered.  
So Dreamy was going to be happy and she had helped him! She was so very happy for him, but had no idea what to say next. Dreamy didn’t seem very bothered with her silence. He observed the crowd who was eager to fight the yaoguai.   
‘Why don’t you sign up?’  
Belle was awakened from her daydream.  
‘I…’ she gave a shy laugh, ‘I’ve always dreamt of heroics, but I think it’s safer to stick to my books. They’re the only adventures I know that have happy endings.’  
Why she always had to turn things so sad, she had no idea.   
‘Well, maybe this one’ll have one, too.’  
‘Well, yeah, I doubt it.’ She responded.   
‘Last time I faced a beast, it… it didn’t end well.’  
Dreamy looked surprised.   
‘What are you talking about?’   
But before she could answer, not that she was sure if she was going to, their conversation was interrupted by the yaoguai-hunter.   
‘Men, follow me. Yaoguai awaits!’  
Belle looked at Dreamy. Perhaps she should just follow him. She had been in this tavern for way too long. And perhaps, if she could handle this beast, she could handle the Other Beast. She wanted to return to him so very much, but just one, one more delay, to see if she was able to face him again. Why wouldn’t she go?   
Dreamy seemed to read her thoughts.  
‘Get on that wagon. Go. Take a chance.’  
She would.   
‘Thank you.’  
And she meant it. She was very grateful for Dreamy and for him convincing her to go. She was going on an adventure. She noticed how she trembled a bit of excitement, when she packed her books, but just when she was about to leave, Dreamy called her.   
‘Wait, Belle! Wait!’  
He had something in his hands.   
‘It is fairy dust, might come in handy.’  
And before she can say anything he hands it over to her. Magic? Was magic going to help her?  
‘Oh no…’ she said, trying to be as polite as possible,   
‘Thank you, but I’ve seen what magic does to people.’  
But Dreamy insisted.  
‘You’ve seen what dark magic does. Fairies use this for good. Now go be a hero.’  
As if there was a more heroic way to leave.   
‘Okay.’ Belle said, her eyes flickering with glee and excitement.  
She jumped to her feet and rushed to the wagon, which was waiting outside.


	4. IV.

Belle had never been so happy with her books, especially the one she was holding now. It was the most brilliant coincidence that it included a chapter that thoroughly described the yaoguai, it habitat et cetera. The men in the carriage appeared to Belle as very unpleasant. They bragged about their skills and laughed at Belle and her book. Belle was certain that they were trying to get rid of her, and because they weren’t very refined, they’d probably throw her out of the carriage when the right time comes. She sighed. One man inquired after the book she was reading. He was very scornful, till he found out that the book was actually useful and could lead them to the location of the “fiercest creature in the land”, to repeat his words. Belle was growing tired of them and she was sure that they were about to ditch her. So when the men asked what information the book had in store for them, she responded:  
‘It says we’ll find the yaoguai by the lake.’  
It was utter nonsense of course.  
‘The lake you say?’  
So he was arrogant and hard of hearing too. A terrific combination.  
‘Yes.’  
‘You heard her, Claude, we’re going to the lake!’  
And then he pushed Belle of the wagon, as she had expected, although she had hoped for a little less literal interpretation of her suspects.  
What fools, she thought. She scrambled to her feet and picked up her book.  
So the yaoguai lives in the mountains. At least I know where to go next.

It was quite the adventure. The road was long, but Belle felt optimistic and cheerful. It had been so long since she had done something like this, since she had had an actual goal. But most of all she was happy, because she was positive that after all this, after she had succeeded, she could return to the man she was now longing to see. There was nothing now between them, not her worries, not her thoughts, not her feelings, only a yaoguai to defeat. This thought made Belle laugh, but she quickly became quiet. It was now mid-day and the yaoguai would probably be asleep, according to her book. Here it was. Belle was in the middle of the forest, near to a cave. The yaoguai was in the cave. She tried to stay calm.  
‘Please be asleep.’ She whispered, while drawing her dagger and inch by inch she approached the monstrous animal.  
And then.  
She stepped on a branch.  
And the small snap made her heart stop. The yaoguai slowly lifted his head and Belle suppressed a scream. She turned around instinctively and ran as fast as she could. But then, as in every story she has read so far, she tripped and fell. So, she wasn’t going to see him ever again. And he would never know how she felt. It was all over, she was, -  
An unexpected and unfamiliar sound continued with a terrifying cry of the animal. Belle looked up.  
She distinguished a woman in between the trees, with a bow in her hands. Belle scrambled to her feet and turned to the woman.  
‘How can I ever thank you? You… you saved my life!’  
The woman didn’t seem pleased.  
‘And you ruined my hunt. It took me weeks to track the yaoguai here.’ She responded curtly.  
‘Yeah, I found it in a day.’  
Perhaps she could help the woman. She did seem a pleasant companion, although she acted so curtly.  
But the woman raised her eyebrows.  
‘You had luck on your side.’  
‘No, not luck.’ Belle responded, eager to show the woman her treasure,  
‘It was this.’  
She held up her book.  
The woman looked at her incredulously.  
‘I could help you find it again.’ Belle said.  
‘You’ve done enough damage already. If you really want to help, stay out of my way.’  
Bummer.


	5. V.

So what next? Belle decided to go to a nearby village. She was going to find the yaoguai, with a little help from her book, but now she thought it was best to wait. The nearest village had a comfortable and clean inn, where she decided to stay. She had pawned some of her jewels, so she had money enough to afford a suitable room. The food was good and she spend the day studying the yaoguai and finding out more and more about the beast. But after a while she was getting a bit stiff and she decided to stretch her legs and go out to get some water by the well. She grabbed a bucket and went to the village square. Everything was going to be alright. She was going to defeat the yaoguai, and then she would return to the Dark Castle. Belle was in such high spirits that she didn’t notice two unsavoury men approaching. Before she knows it, she is pushed over the edge of the well, while one of the two figures says:   
‘The yaoguai wasn’t at the lake.’  
What a surprise. But now wasn’t the time for sarcasm. Now was the time for mild panic.   
‘I’m… I’m sorry, I must’ve misread that one.’ Belle stammered.   
‘See, you know what I think happened? I think you send us in the wrong direction on purpose.’  
Belle closed her eyes. How was she going to talk her way out of this? But then, one man is hit and he falls on the ground. Belle sees the woman, who had helped her before. She had the ridiculous notion that this woman was her guardian angel.   
‘Let her go.’  
‘This isn’t your fight, soldier.’  
Darn that man. If she wasn’t in such a position, she would’ve punched him.  
Meanwhile, the other man rose to his feet, and drew his sword. The arse.  
But he was no worthy opponent for the woman and she seemingly effortlessly defeated him. Losing her helmet in the process. The soldier was a woman, which wasn’t quite as surprising for Belle as it was for the rest of the people, especially for her two attackers. They stared at her with their mouths open, with a surprisingly striking resemblance to a goat. One of them managed to stammer:  
‘Wait, you’re a…’   
But before he could finish his sentence, the woman punched him in the face. Belle wanted to cheer, but she didn’t. Was he really so blind that he couldn’t see she was a woman? What a fool he was indeed.   
‘Yeah, I know.’ The woman answered.  
More and more people gather round the scene. The woman looks at the two men.   
‘Go.’ And she said in such a manner, that they hastily took to their heels.   
Then she turned to Belle, who was deeply impressed.   
‘I didn’t expect to see you again. Thank you.’  
And so Belle became the companion of the female soldier, and they both continued their search for the monstrosity that is called the yaoguai.


	6. VI.

But although Mulan was a very skilled warrior, she couldn’t prevent getting hurt in the fight. Her legs were hurt, but she refused to get help and continued the journey without complaints. But she couldn’t go on for long. Belle knew this, although she sincerely hoped that she was wrong and Mulan was as unbreakable as she pretended to be. The woods they had to cross were wonderful and for a moment, Belle could forget her worries. She thought about the man in the castle, about how much she wished to see him again and how close she was to returning. But she mustn’t be too distracted, after all she was the one who could lead the two of them to the yaoguai, she and her Book, with capital B. Her excitement grew when she noticed that they were drawing near to the monster. Belle saw a ridge and then cried out:  
‘It’s just ahead!’  
‘You found it.’ her companion said  
‘You books serve you well.’  
She smiled. They approached the ridge and saw how the village below was burning. The heat made their faces turn red and Belle felt horrible and a bit tense after seeing all the damage that the monster had done. Then she heard some noise behind her and she turned around immediately, to see her companion, crouched in pain.   
‘Mulan! Your leg is getting worse!’  
‘No, I have to protect my village.’  
Mulan tried to ignore her pain and attempted to walk, but in vain. She collapsed in Belle’s arm, who was feeling a bit panicky.   
‘You can’t even walk! How are you going to kill the yaoguai?’  
‘I’m not. You are.’  
Well, that certainly was a surprise. Belle tried to conceal her laughter, since she couldn’t take Mulan seriously. But Mulan looked as earnest as ever.   
‘Me?’   
Belle stammered. She must be joking.   
‘I’m not a soldier!’  
‘You have good instincts. You tracked down the beast faster than I ever could.’  
‘Tracking and killing is not the same thing.’  
Indeed it wasn’t. This is madness! Belle thought.   
‘There was once a time when people didn’t think that I had what it took, either, but I proved them wrong.’  
‘How?’  
‘By showing them that I had the warrior spirit. Once I found something worth fighting for, I fought for it with everything that I had. I never gave up. Belle… The fate of my village depends on you.’  
And then she gave Belle her sword.   
Belle was too astonished to speak.   
‘Don’t be afraid.’


	7. VII.

Well, as if that wasn’t easier said than done. Belle trembled with fear. So she had to beat the yaoguai herself! She was lucky that Dreamy had given her some fairy dust, because, although she detested magic, it was the only useful weapon for her now. The yaoguai was more monstrous than she had imagined it to be. But now was no time to be afraid. Now was no time for fear. Belle took a deep breath and yelled:   
‘Over here! Over here!’  
The yaoguai lifted its head to find out who had been yelling so annoyingly at him. Belle had no time to think. She ran for it.   
‘To the village. To the village.’ She muttered to herself.  
O please, if it could only be abandoned.   
She didn’t want to cause harm to anyone.   
If I only had a plan… Belle thought, with frenzied activity.  
There! Water pipes! The beast would hate to be wet, wouldn’t it? Wouldn’t it?  
She rushed toward the pipes and drew her sword. The yaoguai was coming dangerously close.   
She waited and waited and then… she slashed the pipes with her sword.  
O please, let this help me.  
The yaoguai howled when the water washed over him, extinguishing his flames in the process. And now the beast seemed suddenly very vulnerable, as if his protection was taken away from him. The beast collapsed convulsing on the ground, moving its paws uncontrollably. But he did control them! He was writing something!  
‘You… you are writing something!’  
Just stating the obvious, it was one of Belle’s various qualities.  
‘Jiu wo…’   
Man, that beast had a bad handwriting.   
‘Save me.’ she managed to decipher.   
So the beast wasn’t that beasty after all. This was all so ridiculous, that Belle thought it was time to get her fairy dust and let its magic do some work.  
‘Let’s give this a try.’  
She sprinkled some dust on the beast and saw how the dust morphed into a giant purple cloud.  
Ridiculous indeed.  
But then the cloud disappeared, unveiling a young man, lying on the ground, looking about as astounded as Belle was.  
‘The curse… you broke it.’  
‘Someone… someone did this to you?’  
‘Maleficent – an evil sorceress from my kingdom determined to do everything in her power to keep me apart from Aurora, my true love. So she exiled me to this land, and turned me into a monster. I tried to warn the villagers, but… No one understood what I really was. Except you.’  
‘Well, you’re not the first beast I’ve faced.’  
Why she always had to drag that dark castle lord into it, she didn’t know.   
‘I am forever in your debt, please tell me how I might repay you.’  
So the beast turned out to be quite the gentleman. But no time to dwell on that. Belle hadn’t forgotten about Mulan.   
‘My friend’s hurt. She needs a doctor.’  
She glanced at the man on the ground.   
‘As you do. Help me bring her back to the village.’  
‘It would be my honour.’  
And so the two of them returned to Mulan.


	8. VIII.

Belle had been travelling long enough by now and it was finally time to return to the place where she wanted to be the most. After wishing good bye to Mulan and Philip (The yaoguai turned out to be a foreign prince. Who would have thought that?), she began with renewed courage her long way to the Dark Castle. It indeed wasn’t that difficult.   
‘I’m coming back, Rumple.’ She said aloud, without even noticing she did so.   
‘Isn’t that cute? Still fighting for true love, even to the bitter end.’  
Belle jumped and turned around. So the Evil Queen had tracked her down! She was too astonished to think properly, and only managed to say:   
‘How did you find me?’  
‘You really should be nicer to your traveling companions. Right, Claude? Take her to the tower.’ The queen answered. She seemed quite pleased with herself.  
Before Belle could take the time to process the sudden events, she found taken by two male soldiers, who dragged her to a cage.   
‘What, no! What are you doing?’  
She was becoming rather desperate now and shouted:  
‘I can save him! Just let me go to him! I can break his curse!’  
Not that she actually intended to do so. She didn’t know why, but somehow it seemed better to let him stay the way he was, cursed.   
O, but her shouts were in vain. The Queen responded with great disdain:   
‘You already tried and failed. That monster’s beyond saving. I’m sparing you a lifetime of pain and misery.’  
Then the soldiers threw her in the cage and locked her up. Belle felt a sudden rage become master of her.   
‘You can’t keep us apart forever! I’ll fight for him! I’ll never stop fighting for him!’


	9. IX.

And now Belle found herself a prisoner again, but this time a prisoner of a woman she most greatly detested. She was held in her castle, which was huge, but made her feel very uneasy. Not in the least because she was imprisoned there. O, how poor Belle cried when no one was around (which didn’t happen very often). She finally had decided to return, and then her chance for happiness was so brutally taken away from her! O, the castle lord must have given up hope now. He would probably move on. She had broken him before. But she could explain! But not here, she needed to go to him. But she didn’t allow herself to show any emotions when the guards came, or when the Evil Queen checked on her, so now here she was, feeling a bit numb. So this was her present. And this was her future. There surely must be some kind of way out of here? She mustn’t give up hope, no she mustn’t. She had made a promise that night, when she was captured. Not to the Evil Queen, but to herself. And to the castle owner. To Rumpelstiltskin. She dared to speak out his name again. She softly whispered it to herself. She wasn’t going to give up.   
‘I won’t give up on him ever again.’ She said aloud and just when she said these words, she heard someone approaching via the stairs. Oh and there she lost her hope again. It must be a servant of the Queen! Her executioner was drawing nearer and nearer.   
A stranger, a pirate or so it seemed, entered her little cell. He looked a very agitated but recollected himself when he saw Belle.   
‘Hi… you must be Belle.’  
‘The Queen sent you, didn’t she?’  
‘I’m not here to kill you, love. I’m here to rescue you.’  
Well, she certainly didn’t expect him to say that. She saw the pirate clumsily fiddling on the lock.   
‘Rescue me?’ she asked incredulously.   
‘Who are you?’  
‘A friend. We haven’t much time. Your father’s life is in danger. He’s being attacked by the very same monster who stole you away from your family in the first place.’  
‘What, Rumpelstiltskin?’  
He must be out of his mind. So he knew her name, but he didn’t know her at all. He didn’t seem to notice how she frowned in indignation.   
‘The Dark One – he must be stopped. You spent more time with him than anyone. There are rumours of a magical weapon that has the power to kill him.’  
‘No, no, no… no! Let me talk to him! He is not a monster.’  
‘Belle, your father’s life hangs in the balance. I need to know what that weapon is, and where to find it.’  
‘I have no idea what you’re talking about and I have no idea how to kill Rumpelstiltskin.’  
‘You don’t?’   
He looked disappointed.   
‘No… and nor would I.’ she continued, more self-assured then she was before.  
‘Then I’m afraid I’m not here to rescue you.’  
Pirates! It was the last thing Belle heard him say.


	10. X.

And now you mustn’t think that Belle didn’t try to escape. She was very determined and lots of guards got it in the neck. She succeeded various times to leave her cell, but she was always found by someone who was conveniently (well, for them, not for Belle) passing by. She was transferred to different cells, and tried to make some sort of floor plan in her head, or on the ground, with the dust laying around, based on the different corridors and hallways she had seen during her short moments of freedom.   
She talked to some guards and to her surprise, they responded. The conversations had been quite useless, but it was better than nothing. One of the guards, Claude, detested fish and refused to come near to it. Belle had been hoping for a meal of fish, so she could try to scare Claude away. But her meals were made of unrecognizable ingredients and she doubted half of them were even edible. Today, a new and young guard (he must be barely seventeen, Belle thought) appeared. He looked very nervous and not quite as self-assured as Claude. He was meagre and looked a bit sickly.   
‘Good-day.’ Belle said kindly.  
He jumped by hearing her voice and stared at her with wide eyes. He only managed to nod. The poor kid.  
She tried to make him feel a bit more at ease.   
‘I haven’t seen you before. What is your name?’   
He looked around, probably to see if anyone was watching him and then shook his head.  
Belle wondered if he was even able to talk. Perhaps he was stupid.   
‘I am Belle.’ She said.   
‘But you probably know that already, don’t you?’  
He nodded.  
At least he wasn’t deaf.   
‘I’m a bit thirsty. You strike me as quite the gentleman, you wouldn’t mind helping me, now would you? Could you hand me some water?’  
The guard obeyed and Belle reached with her hands through the bars to take the water from him, but when she saw him from up close, she noticed how his hands were shaking and he tried to hold back his tears.  
‘Are you quite alright?’ she asked, worried.  
Then he dropped the water bowl and it shattered in thousand pieces on the tiles.  
‘It is all so very dreadful, miss.’ He exclaimed.  
‘I can’t help you, as much as I would like to, but we are beyond helping. No one can help us.’  
‘How so?’ Belle asked, but the poor child broke down crying.   
He knelt on the floor and wept and wept, unable to utter another syllable.  
Now Belle was getting really worried. What had overcome the boy?  
‘Here, here… hush now.’ She said, trying to comfort him, which was quite difficult, because there was a set of bars in between them. The boy tried to recollect himself and after a few attempts he managed to sit up straight, his eyes still red.  
‘It’s the Evil Queen.’ He said, in between small sobs.   
‘She is about to cast a curse over the entire enchanted forest. It will destroy all our happy endings! There is no more chance for happiness.’ And then he broke down crying again.  
Belle dropped herself on the floor.   
‘A curse?’ she said.   
‘But that can’t be! How can one be so terrible to destroy the lives of all these people! They haven’t all done her wrong, have they?’  
But the boy didn’t answer.   
So this was it then. This was where her story was going to end. In a world without happy endings. How was she to imagine such a place? How could one be able to live there? She sat next to the boy and leaned her head on one of the bars that made her prison cell.   
They sat. They waited.


	11. XI.

Where was she? She looked around. She had no idea. She hadn’t been here before, that much was certain.   
The room was small and dreary. The walls were supposed to be painted white, but their colour now resembled a vague shade of grey. There was no furniture in the room, except for the bed, half wrapped in plastic, where she was sitting on right now. She tried to memorise places where she had been before, but she couldn’t remember one of them. What was she doing here? There was one window in the room, but it was shuttered. A blazing ray of sunshine brightened the room and allowed her to see everything around her. There was a door in the room, one that seemed reinforced. She stood up and tried to open it, but it wouldn’t open. There was one small hatch in the door. She wondered what would be behind it. Was there another room, just like hers? Or something else. She sat down, crossed-legged, right in front of the door, waiting for it to open. But it didn’t open. Perhaps she should knock. She lifted her hand and knocked, but no sound came, she only hurt her fist. How come she couldn’t remember how she got here? There must be something she remembered! She closed her eyes. It was just a flash. She remembered a large yellow gown, and an old man and an annoying but quite handsome man and a room. The room was quite different from the one she was in now, the walls were made out of big stones. There was another man! He was quite handsome too. But he seemed so sad.   
‘Miss! What are you doing?’  
She shrieked, scared stiff. She opened her eyes and saw how someone had opened the hatch in the door. Two eyes, probably belonging to a man, stared at her.   
‘You mustn’t sit on the ground, miss. I told you so yesterday.’ He paused.   
‘O right.’ He muttered to himself. ‘And the day before and before and before.’  
‘Well, you probably won’t remember me ‘till tomorrow, so it doesn’t really matter what I say to you, does it?’   
She looked up to him, puzzled.   
‘Excuse me?’  
‘O, you silly darling.’ He sighed. ‘I do pity you, you know. It’s hard to suffer from amnesia.’  
‘So… you know me?’  
She wasn’t quite sure if she should trust this man. She found him very unpleasant, but it was the only company she had.   
He laughed.   
‘Of course I do! I know your name, I know your age, and I know who you love and who loves you…’  
She stared at him and asked eagerly:   
‘Then, would you tell them to me?’  
‘No.’  
‘Why not?’  
‘Oh, you wouldn’t remember them, even if I told you so. You’re probably wondering what you are doing here, aren’t you?’  
‘I am.’  
Right after she uttered these words she wished she had said something more defiant. She didn’t like this man. He was so very condescending.   
‘So you have remembered nothing? I knew I was right.’  
Oh, but she had remembered something. She remembered the castle and the three men. One of them was almost as condescending as he was, acting as if she couldn’t do anything for herself.   
‘I fail to understand what he is doing here.’ She said aloud.  
‘I’m still here, miss. And you probably will never understand it. But no worries. All will be over after you’ve had a good night sleep.’  
‘I am not tired.’ She said. ‘And I still can’t follow. How’d you know all these things about me, if I don’t know them about myself?’  
‘As I said before, you suffer from amnesia. Speaking of amnesia! I almost forgot to give you your food. I’d hate to starve you.’   
He shut the hatch with a loud and shrieking sound.   
Now she was determined to remember more about that weird scene that she was playing over and over again in her head. The attractive but condescending man was shielding her from something, or someone. It must’ve been the other attractive and sad man. He was definitely more attractive than that figure that stood next to her. They were calling her name. What was her name? A loud shriek.   
‘Here is your food. Oh, you’ve closed your eyes again. Come on, dear, get up. Do you remember how to use cutlery?’ he laughed at his own non-existing joke.   
‘Oh yeah, you did. Come on, take it.’   
She reached at the plate.   
‘You can shove it through the hatch if you’re ready. You remember how to open it?’   
He paused.   
‘O, silly me.’


	12. XII.

She lay on the floor. The tiles were cold and hard, but she hoped it could make her remember something more. She remembered the sensation of laying on tiles. She must’ve laid there before. Oh, she recalled it! She was thrown on tiles, by the same sad and attractive man from her first memory. His voice. She could remember his voice, but she couldn’t recall the words his mouth formed. Though she could remember his eyes. They were brown and deep. It took her back to her first memory. The old man, the old man she hadn’t been paying much attention to had mentioned her name! It was… it was… she could remember how his lips formed the word. It was Belle.

‘My name is Belle.’ She whispered.   
‘I suffer from amnesia. That means I have memory loss. But I do remember things.’  
‘I remember an old man, and I remember an attractive man. And I remember a condescending man. But I do remember how to speak. I must have some childhood memories, mustn’t I? Who has called me by my name before?’  
Her name. She remembered her name.   
‘Belle.’ She said.  
It sounded so strange, coming out of her own mouth. She remembered the old man saying it.   
But she didn’t remember the handsome and sad figure saying it. Has he ever mentioned her name? What was his name?  
‘Belle.’ She whispered again.   
His name. What was his name? He must have a name! She wanted to know it, so she could say it. So she could say it over and over again. She had had a life before she ended up here. Where were these three men now? Why hadn’t they come looking for her? Perhaps they suffered from amnesia too.

His name was a bit weird and quite long. That was what she remembered. His name suited his voice very well, she remembered. He was sad, but he was sweet. He had been very important for her. That was what she remembered. He had chosen her. That one memory was getting clearer and clearer. He had chosen her as his… his price. She was his price. And he was called… he was called…


	13. XIII.

‘Rumpelstiltskin!’  
She was slamming with her fists on the door.   
‘Rumpelstiltskin! Let-me-out! I need to go to him!’  
Her fists hurt and bled, but she didn’t mind.   
‘You doctor! Come back! Let me out! RUMPELSTILTSKIN!’  
Her voice cracked.   
‘Let me out.’ She continued, faintly, still knocking at the door.  
She should be able to open the hatch. But how? She pushed against it, but it wouldn’t give in. She tried to slide it to the left, but it stayed right where it was. To the right perhaps? But no movement. Eventually she just slammed at it and… miraculously it flew open.   
She peered through the open hatch and saw a small corridor, also white-ish. But there, in the distance. A man in a white coat. Wasn’t that the doctor? She put her hand to her mouth and screamed as loud as she could:  
‘LET ME OUT!’  
If she had looked through the hatch, she would’ve seen that the man swiftly turned his head.   
‘I NEED TO GO TO RUMPELSTILTSKIN! BRING ME TO HIM! LET ME OUT!  
LET! ME! OUT! LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!’   
Then, very suddenly, the door opened.   
‘Oh, oh, dear me, dear me. Not again.’   
It was the doctor and he looked very concerned.   
‘Go to the bed, you lady.’  
‘I need to go to Rumpelstiltskin.’ Belle said, at a reasonable volume.  
‘I need to go to him, do you understand?’  
‘I can understand you.’ The doctor answered.  
‘I made a promise, I need to go to him. Please, tell me where he is, I will go to him.’  
‘So you remembered your name?’  
‘Where is Rumpelstiltskin?’  
‘Not here, darling. But this,’  
He took a small needle out of his pocket  
‘This will bring you to him.’  
‘No, it won’t.’ Belle said, very sure of herself.   
The doctor grabbed her arm, but she teared herself loose.  
‘Don’t touch me! Bring me to Rumple!’  
‘Alright, alright.’ The doctor replied.   
‘I will bring you to him. He isn’t that far away.’  
Belle’s face lightened up by hearing him say this.   
‘Oh, then tell me where he is!’  
But he grabbed her arm and before she could do anything to stop him, he slammed the needle in it.  
She felt very queasy and everything around her began to turn and turn.  
‘Don’t worry, dear. It’s just a sleeping potion. It helps you forget.’ The doctor said.  
Belle stared at him in disgust.  
She was going to forget all of it. She was going to forget her promise. But she needed to remember!  
Her view was hazy, the doctor’s voice echoed far away.   
‘Good night, my dear. I’ll see you tomorrow.’  
She heard the door closing and tried to keep herself awake. She tried to follow the doctor, but her legs couldn’t carry her. She fell on the ground and sank into a deep sleep.


	14. XIV.

She woke up. It felt as if she had slept for days and days. Where was she? She lifted herself from the ground (why was she on the ground?) and sat very upright, while looking around her. The room smelled strange, but clean and was very small and dreary. This was where she lived? It felt more like a prison. So she was a prisoner. She had no idea who she was, but a prisoner seemed quite right. But why was she imprisoned? She couldn’t remember.  
She closed her eyes and tried and tried to recall some memories. At least she could remember words. All the words. Someone must’ve thought her the words. How had she learned this language? She opened her eyes and looked around. There was nothing in the room, except for a bed in the corner (why hadn’t she slept there?) and one shuttered window, with a windowsill, where she could sit in. That would at least be more comfortable than sitting on the ground, she thought and she got to her feet and placed herself in the windowsill, her head leaning on the cold glass of the window. So she knew the words, but she couldn’t remember anything about herself. She couldn’t give herself a word, except for Miss, or woman. She thought she wasn’t married, or at least she hoped so, ‘cause if her husband treated her this way, she would have to divorce him as soon as he got here. But she had no wedding ring, so no, she couldn’t been married, could she? Who had taught her these things! She closed her eyes again.  
She was in a room, a big, circular room, with someone next to her (she couldn’t distinguish his appearance, it was a man, but it was as if a big cloud was floating before him. She looked up, at the walls of the room and saw how they were filled with books. Everywhere she looked, she saw bookcases, reaching till the ceiling, only making place for immense high windows with equally long curtains adorning them. So it were the books that taught her these words, and it was this unrecognizable figure who helped her expanding her knowledge. He had shown her a library, probably his own. Who was he?

‘Miss, open your eyes at once, will you?’  
Belle opened her eyes, disturbed, and looked up to see where the unpleasant voice was coming from.  
A little hatch in the door was opened and two eyes were peering at her.  
‘That’s better. What were you thinking about?’  
‘Who are you?’ she inquired.  
He let go a little bit of breath, seemingly relieved.  
‘I am your doctor. And you know you mustn’t sleep during daytime. I’ve told you before and before.’  
‘So you are my doctor?’ she asked, with renewed agitation.  
‘So you can tell me who I am, and what I am doing here?’  
‘I’m afraid I can’t.’ the doctor said.  
‘And why is that?’  
The doctor kept his mouth shut.  
‘Why am I here, then?’ she asked, her eyes fixed on the peering eyes of the doctor.  
‘You need help. I am here to help you.’  
‘Help me?’ she exclaimed indignantly.  
‘Then why won’t you tell me my name?’  
‘You ought to calm down, darling. Now tell me, what do you remember?’  
She frowned. ‘Why do you even care?’  
The doctor was silent and Belle turned her head. 

So, she wasn’t alone. She highly doubted the honesty of the doctor. If she was ill, then there was no need for locking her up. The only thing she knew that was wrong with her, was the fact that she couldn’t remember a thing, except for the old and prestigious library. She closed her eyes again and wandered around in the spacious room. The man followed her in her footsteps. She could see his features clearly now, his brown eyes. It came over her as a shock, but suddenly she was sure that she loved him. She loved the strange man, who showed her his library. But she couldn’t remember his name. He had a very peculiar way of moving round a room, desperately trying to cover his paranoia with his extravagant gestures and typical laugh. She could hear him laugh, only she couldn’t hear him speak. He also walked around, his eyes wandering off, but when he thought she wasn’t looking, he fixed them on her.  
‘He must love me too.’ She whispered, her eyes still shut.  
‘Then why isn’t he here with me?’

The door opened with a loud and harrowing sound and Belle’s eyes flung open. She turned her head around and saw how the doctor entered the room. He held one arm on his back.  
‘Who loves you too, miss?’ he asked, looking very uneasy.  
‘Can I go?’ she asked, and she rose, endeavoring to quit the room.  
He grabbed her by her arm.  
‘Who where you talking about, miss? What did you remember?’  
‘Let go of me!’ she shouted, struggling to free herself from his tight grip.  
‘Why hasn’t he come for me?’  
‘Who? You need to tell me who!’  
She remembered.  
‘Rumpelstiltskin! I am supposed to go to him. I’m not going to leave him! We oughtn’t be apart.’  
She kicked him in his knees, causing him to fall down and letting her go and ran to the door.  
‘You don’t know where he is! You know why he hasn’t come for you? He is dead.’  
Belle stopped immediately.  
‘No…’ she said. ‘He can’t be.’  
She turned around, to check the doctor’s face, to see that he was lying, but when she turned around, he wasn’t laying on the floor anymore, racking with pain. He stood right in front of her.  
‘I guess you’ll never know.’ He said and he slammed the needle in her arm.  
Belle wanted to scream. She wanted to kick him, she wanted to run away, through the open door. She wanted to go to Rumpelstiltskin. But her body refused to obey her mind.  
The doctor lifted her up.  
‘You mustn’t sleep on the ground again, darling. I should’ve taken better care of you.’  
Belle was helpless. There was nothing she could do.  
The doctor dropped her on her bed.  
‘Oh, and he’s alive.’ He said.  
‘Not that you will remember that. Or him. Or even yourself.’  
Her heart jumped. Oh, but she wouldn’t forget. She mustn’t forget. She was going to Rumple. Nothing could keep them apart. Rivers. Roads. He couldn’t be far away.  
She closed her eyes. She was going back to him.  
And then she fainted.


	15. XV.

So where was she? She looked around. The room stroke her as vaguely familiar.   
The room was small and dreary. The walls were supposed to be painted white, but their colour now resembled a vague shade of grey. There was no furniture in the room, except for the bed, half wrapped in plastic, where she was sitting on right now. What had happened? Something must’ve happened. Her head ached awfully. She tried to get up, but decided that sitting down was a much better plan. Where was she? She wasn’t born here, that was for sure. She would’ve remembered the place, wouldn’t she?   
Why was the door closed? And why was it completely silent?  
She sat still for a moment and then repeated to herself out loud:   
‘Where am I?’  
Then she suddenly heard someone at her door. She jumped to her feet and saw how the door slowly opened, revealing a man. He seemed glad to have found her.   
‘Come with me.’  
His voice trembled a bit with agitation.   
‘Who are you? Why are you doing this?’  
‘My name is Jefferson, and I need your help to do something that I can’t. There’s a man. His name is Mr. Gold. Find him. All you have to do is tell him where you’ve been, and that Regina locked you up.’  
‘Wait a minute, what?’  
He talked so fast and so strange, she couldn’t understand a word he was saying.   
‘It’s very important. Mr. Gold’s going to protect you, but you have to tell him Regina locked you up. He’s going to know what to do. You understand?’  
‘Yes. I- I have to find, mister, mister Gold.’  
The strange man nodded, relieved with her comprehension.  
Who Mr. Gold was, he couldn’t say. He dragged her through the immense building at high speed and dropped her at the door. The light was way too bright for her eyes and when she finally had any vision, and wanted to thank her mysterious rescuer, he had vanished already and she was utterly alone.


	16. XVI.

So this was his shop? At least it was where the sturdy old lady had directed her. It looked quite old. Belle wondered who this Mr. Gold was and why he was running a shop. His name suggested that he was very rich, but of course, it could also be a very poor joke.   
When she entered, a little bell rang. There was only one man in the store. He had his back turned at her and Belle saw how he rapidly hid something, what it was she couldn’t see.   
‘Excuse me? Are you mister Gold?’  
‘Yes I am.’ He said, his back still turned at her.   
‘But I’m afraid the shop is closed.’  
Then he turned around and she saw how his expression changed. She couldn’t quite recognize his emotions, but she could see that he was very surprised, why, she didn’t know. He was also quite handsome.   
‘I was, uh… I was told to… To find you and… Tell you that Regina locked me up. Does… Does that mean anything to you?’   
He looked as if he could burst out in tears any moment. He walked to her, leaning on his walking stick and said:   
‘You’re real. You’re alive. She did this to you?’  
Belle was very puzzled.   
‘I was told you would protect me.’  
He was now standing right before her, reaching out his arms to feel her, making sure that she was real. Belle didn’t understand it, but he knew her. He had known her before.   
He hugged her and said:   
‘Oh yes, yes. I’ll protect you.’  
How come she couldn’t remember him? She didn’t know who he was! Perhaps if he explained himself.   
‘I’m sorry…’ she began, freeing herself from his arms.   
‘Do I… do I know you?’  
He shook his head, and she could see how he was fighting his tears.   
‘No.’ he said.   
‘But you will.’


	17. XVII.

Belle wasn’t sure what to think of Mr. Gold. Of course she thought him to be devilishly handsome, but he was also rather strange. He had taken her from his shop to the surrounding woods, speaking very little to her, only to ask her if she was alright. He seemed a bit nervous, but very determined. Belle didn’t know if she was alright. Mr. Gold had told her her original name: Belle. She repeated it over and over again in silence. She was called Belle and she knew this Mister… this mister Gold. She looked at him, careful not to be caught staring, when suddenly...  
She stopped.   
‘Wait!’   
‘No, no… We’re very close.’  
‘Rumpelstiltskin, wait!’   
Now he stopped to. She couldn’t see his face, his expression, but then he turned around, bewildered.   
‘I-I remember! I love you.’  
She was now standing in front of him. She smiled. And he smiled too. He reached out his arms and hugged her tightly.  
She would have done anything to find him back. She wouldn’t lose him again. She would cross rivers and roads, she wouldn’t break her promise. She had found him. She had done anything till she reached him.   
‘I would do anything’ she thought. ‘Till I reach you.’


End file.
